Changan Automobile recently announced that the third-generation Changan UNI-V is officially open for pre-order, with an early-bird price of 114,900 yuan. For reference, the current Changan UNI-V models on sale on the market are priced between 108,900 and 139,900 yuan. As the first sedan in Changan's UNI series, the UNI-V is positioned as a compact model. It was first unveiled in November 2021, officially launched in March 2022, and subsequently saw the launch of its second-generation model in March 2024. The third-generation UNI-V released this time remains unchanged in body dimensions, with a length of 4740mm and a wheelbase of 2750mm. The main changes are concentrated in exterior design, interior style, and the powertrain system.
The new car adopts a design language called "Future Pioneer Sporty Aesthetics" on the exterior. The front face features a shark-nose bionic design, with the grille treated in a smoked black finish and combined with geometric line elements, dropping the borderless grille design. On both sides are slim LED headlights, paired with a trapezoidal air intake and hood crease lines to reinforce the sporty feel. The side profile retains the fastback shape, with a full-width waistline, semi-hidden door handles, 19-inch glossy black wheels, and orange four-piston calipers continuing the sporty style. The rear features a full-width taillight assembly with an embedded illuminated "V"-shaped logo, and the rear bumper has been optimized. The 2.0T model is equipped with dual-sided quad exhaust outlets and an electrically adjustable rear spoiler. It will offer single-tone body colors including Phantom Gray and Star Diamond Black, as well as two-tone body options including Moonlight White, Atomic Gray, Vibrant Red, and Phantom Green.
Inside, the car is equipped with a new 10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster and a 14.6-inch central control screen, running the Tianyu OS system. In track mode, the instrument cluster switches to a three-gauge layout. The steering wheel has been upgraded to a larger three-spoke multifunction design with a flat top and bottom, adding an exclusive SUPER RACE 3.0 button, paired with a dual-D-shaped sporty steering wheel, paddle shifters, and a wind-blade-shaped gear lever.
The powertrain system has been upgraded to Changan's Smart New Blue Whale 3.0, offering two options: 1.5T and 2.0T. The 1.5T engine produces a maximum power of 141 kW and a peak torque of 310 N·m; the 2.0T engine produces a maximum power of 180 kW and a peak torque of 400 N·m. Referring to the current model, the 1.5T is matched with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, and the 2.0T is matched with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Retail data shows that the Changan UNI-V sold 119,200 units in full-year 2023, 82,500 units in full-year 2024, and 24,400 units in the first half of this year, showing an overall trend of continuous decline in sales. The third-generation model has undergone significant adjustments and upgrades in exterior and interior design, powertrain system, and configurations. Whether its market performance can reverse the current trend remains to be observed.
